Please could you all read this - thanks!!

[Glen]

Hi everyone,

I found out at work this week about a boy who was killed by a run-away trailer locally to where I work. This happened last year but I never saw the story on the news.

My HR Director at work personally knows the family and is trying to help get a petition signed that wants to make MOT style testing for trailers compulsory. The story is in the following links....

http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk/news/Call-for-prosecution-over-Heage.3639003.jp

http://www.belpernews.co.uk/news/Petition-calling-for-trailer-law.3651039.jp

I'm neither a parent or a trailer owner, but surely having some form of test for these things can only be a good thing for everyone? As it will help to stop such tragedies in the future. Having been driving behind a car in front of me with a trailer with no working brake lights at the weekend, it just shows how easy accidents can happen even if the trailer is still on the vehicle.

This is the link to the petition if you would like to sign up.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Trailers/

Thank you for taking time to read this.

 

[frank]

Articulated trailer need a mot I don't see why smaller ones from caravans downwards should be exempt. Until the law requires brakes on all trailers, including small ones. Having a parking brake might encourage drivers to use a breakaway chain which would pull on the brake if it broke away from the car. I used to pull a trailer with camping gear , had no legal requirement for service brakes cos of the weight but I always had a chain linked to the car just in case. How many caravans must there be on the road with NO BRAKES? I've seen some old bangers which I have doubts about.

 

[minky_monkey]

Although, they are exempt from an "MOT", you can still be prosecuted for driving a dangerous vehicle, depending on the defect.

VOSA reguarly pull trailers/caravans around here.

*Re-read that, it comes across as though I`m not in favour of further testing.*

Just the opposite infact, I think there should be mandatory tests, especially as some trailers are more that capable of towing 3500kg gross.

One of the firms I work with had a coupling failure with terrible consequences about seven years ago. The trailer hitch failed and it mounted a pavement, collecting a cyclist as it went. Unfortunately he was killed outright. And that was a routinely maintained trailer.

I reguarly attend breakdowns/rtc`s for motoring clubs involved trailers losing wheels through the wheelbearings never having seen a drop of grease since they were installed!